A seagull flies over the California Coastal National Monument which stretches along the entire coast of California and extends 12 miles into the Pacific Ocean. The Monument includes 20,000 rocks, islands, pinnacles and reefs.
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California Coastal National Monument

California Coastal National Monument logoPLANNING UPDATE

December 31, 2008

California North Coast Geotourism Project Underway.  After almost two years of discussion and planning (See CCNM Updates 12/30/06, p.1; 4/30/07, pp.1&2; 12/31/07, p.2; 4/30/08, p.2; & 8/31/08, p.2&3), the California Coast Geotourism Initiative is actually underway with the implementation of the North Coast Geotourism Project. This implementation was through a series of informational briefings and presentations throughout California’s North Coast region. As part of the North Coast Geotourism Project, the National Geographic Society, working with a regional geotourism committee, will be producing a Geotourism MapGuide for California’s North Coast to celebrate and help sustain the area’s world-class natural and cultural heritage. National Geographic will create the MapGuide drawing on the expertise from local communities stretching from Del Norte to Marin counties. Based on the legacy of the region, it is anticipated that themes of salmon, the redwoods, and harvest will feature strongly in the publication.

North Coast residents and visitors will have opportunities to nominate natural, historical and cultural attractions – places and events – that define the North Coast. The North Coast region includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, and Marin counties. A regional geotourism committee comprised of community leaders from throughout the region will work with National Geographic to select the attractions to be featured on the MapGuide. At a minimum, the MapGuide will be available on an interactive website. Whether it will also be produced as a hard copy map will depend on available funding and future decisions of the regional geotourism committee and/or the interests of its individual members. The project is currently funded by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with much in-kind work from the California Travel and Tourism Commission’s North Coast Tourism Council and its various members; however, additional funding still needs to be raised. The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) that initially planned to fund half the cost for preparation and printing of 50,000 hard copies of the MapGuide has elected not to proceed any further with the project at this time, but will instead wait to see how the project evolves. If the Geotourism MapGuide ends up with a major salmon theme (i.e., OPC’s primary funding criteria) then OPC may be interested in reengaging later on in the project.
 
The North Coast Geotourism Project is the first of three planned regional geotourism projects [i.e., Northern California (North Coast) Coast, Central California Coast, and Southern California Coast] along the 1,100 miles of the California coastline that the BLM is coordinating with the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations to complete within the next three years. Each of the projects has three initial products: (1) the creation of a regional geotourism stewardship council (e.g., North Coast Geotourism Committee), (2) the collection and compilation of a geotourism site nomination database, and (3) the development of a digital and/or hard-copy Geotourism “MapGuide.”
 
Working with the North Coast Tourism Council, the BLM, which is facilitating the project, set up and conducted a series of informational presentations, briefings, and/or discussions for County Board of Supervisors and City Council meetings, as well as at a variety of local and regional organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and related events. These were intended to prepare the governmental units, local organizations, and interested citizens throughout the North Coast Geotourism Project area for the development of the Geotourism MapGuide site nomination process set to begin in January 2009. An informational website for the project and a series of public meetings throughout the region where anyone interested can nominate attractions are being set up now. A schedule for the development of the North Coast Geotourism MapGuide has been established and set in motion. This schedule is as follows:
 
  • Geotourism committee formation:                             November 2008
  • Community meetings & nominations commence:      January 2009
  • Community nominations due:                                   March 30, 2009
  • Geotourism committee nomination review:               May 30, 2009
  • MapGuide draft development:                                   June – September 2009
  • Geotourism committee MapGuide draft review:        September – October 2009
  • National Geographic finalizes MapGuide:                  October – December 2009
  • Release printed MapGuide:                                       January 2010
 
National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations Associate Director Tours North Coast Geotourism Region.  In order to better understand the region and meet with some of the people and organizations participating in the North Coast Geotourism Project, Jim Dion, Associate Director of the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, spent five days touring California’s North Coast. Starting from the Oakland Airport on Sunday, November 9, 2008, California Coastal National Monument (CCNM) Manager Rick Hanks and CCNM Outreach and Partnership Coordinator Marcia deChadenedes drove Jim Dion up the Highway 101 corridor through the North Coast region to Crescent City, then to Mendocino on Monday, November 10, to Point Reyes on Tuesday, November 11, to Ukiah on Wednesday, November 12, and to Sacramento for the California Coast Geotourism Initiative Steering Committee working group meeting on Thursday, November 13.
 
Meetings for this whirlwind tour of California’s North Coast started early on a drizzly morning in Crescent City with about 20 local elected officials and community leaders, included the Crescent City mayor, three City Council members, a Del Norte County Supervisor, the head of the Crescent City Chamber of Commerce, and a variety of other active community members. This was followed by a meeting in Klamath at the Yurok Tribal Headquarters with representatives from the Yurok Office of Self-Governance and lunch in Trinidad at the Trinidad Rancheria’s Seascape Restaurant with members of the CCNM Trinidad Gateway and representatives from Eureka, including the Trinidad Rancheria Tribal Chair and a Trinidad City Councilman. Then it was off to historic downtown Eureka with a brief meeting with the media and marketing manager for the Humboldt County Convention and Visitors Bureau, before driving to Mendocino where the night was spent at a bed and breakfast in a historic Victorian house.
 
Early Tuesday morning began with a meeting in Fort Bragg with the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and the California State Parks Mendocino Coast District Superintendent, before driving to Point Arena where the morning was completed with a tour of the Point Arena Light Station’s restoration project. A lunch meeting was held at Arena Cove with CCNM Point Arena Gateway representatives and community members, followed by a tour of the historic portion of downtown Point Arena with the city mayor. The remaining afternoon involved a visit of Fort Ross State Historic Park and Sonoma Coast State Beach in route to Point Reyes.
 
After spending Tuesday night at another bed and breakfast in an historic farm house, Dion and Hanks met Wednesday morning with the Superintendents of Point Reyes National Seashore and Cordell Banks National Marine Sanctuary and then took a quick overlook tour of Point Reyes National Seashore. It was then on to Ukiah where Dion provided a brief geotourism presentation at the end of the North Coast Agri-Tourism Workshop. His tour was completed the following morning with a drive through the east side of Mendocino County and into Lake County on the way to Sacramento.
 
California Coast Geotourism Initiative Steering Committee Working Group Meets in Sacramento.  For its first meeting, the working group for the California Coast Geotourism Initiative Steering Committee met on November 13, 2008, at the BLM California State Office in Sacramento, California, to get an update on the status of the initiative and discuss future directions. Jim Abbott, BLM California Associate State Director, opened the meeting with positive statements regarding the coast-wide initiative, why geotourism was important to BLM, and how it is a collaborative effort. Jim Dion, Associate Director for the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, discussed the role of the National Geographic Society in the development of the “geotourism concept” and working with BLM and the communities of the California coast regions. CCNM Manager Rick Hanks provided a brief background on the California Coast Geotourism Initiative that involves the Northern California Coast (North Coast) Geotourism Project, the Central California Geotourism Project, and the Southern California Geotourism Project. Hanks also discussed the key role the working group will play in ensuring that the agency and organization heads of the participating steering committee members are kept up to speed on the evolving coast-wide geotourism initiative and that the communication lines between each of the three California coast geotourism projects are effectively maintained. The working committee was then briefed on the status and plans for the North Coast Geotourism Project.
 
In addition to Abbott, Dion, and Hanks, the other meeting attendees were Marcia deChadenedes, CCNM Outreach and Partnership Coordinator and the project manager for the North Coast Tourism Project; Rich Burns, BLM Ukiah Field Office Manager; Brent Reed, California State Parks Deputy Director for Partnerships and Consumer Strategies; Fran Gibson, President of Coastwalk California; Lesa Johnston, representing the California Department of Fish and Game Assistant Deputy Director for Communication, Outreach and Interpretation; Matt Brookhart, policy analyst for NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries Program West Coast Regional Office; and Cina Loarie, California State Coastal Conservancy and also representing the California Ocean Protection Council. Other BLM attendees included Jim Weigand, representing the Deputy State Director for Natural Resources; John Dearing, representing the Deputy State Director for External Affairs; Jeff Fontana, Northern California Public Affairs Officer; David Christy, Central California Public Affairs Officer; and via telephone, Bob Wick, CCNM Northern California Coordinator and representing the Arcata Field Office Manager. The agencies and organizations that make up the current membership of the California Coast Geotourism Steering Committee are the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destination, BLM California State Office, National Park Service Pacific West Region, NOAA-National Marine Sanctuaries Program West Coast Region, California Travel and Tourism Commission, California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Game, California State Coastal Conservancy, Coastwalk California, PRBO Conservation Science, and Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation.
 
Save the Redwoods League Becomes CCNM Steward on the Lost Coast.  With the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) by BLM California Associate State Director Jim Abbott on December 1, 2008, Save the Redwoods League became the sixth California Coastal National Monument “Steward.” This stewardship arrangement with the BLM is for a portion of the CCNM at the south end of the Lost Coast that includes Island Knob at Cape Vizciaño, Cottaneva Rock, and Chris Rock. This portion of the CCNM is located off the coast of the Save the Redwood League’s recently acquired 401 acre Cape Vizciaño Property (formally known as the Thomson Ranch Property). As the newest “CCNM Steward,” this enables Save the Redwoods League to work closely with the BLM and its various partners, including California State Parks and Coastwalk California, and link with the CCNM’s developing Lost Coast Gateway initiative that is being coordinated by the BLM’s King Range Conservation Area’s staff, to develop an innovative collaborative program for the management of the Cape Vizciaño Property.
 
Point Arena Mayor Recognized as a CCNM “Rock Star.”  Leslie Dahlhoff, Mayor of the coastal town of Point Arena, has been honored for her work in formation of the Point Area Gateway to the California Coastal National Monument (CCNM). CCNM Manager Rick Hanks presents the Mayor with a CCNM Rock Star Award during the October 30, 2008 meeting of the CCNM Point Arena Gateway Committee. "From the beginning, Leslie has been enthusiastic about establishing Point Arena as a gateway to the California Coastal National Monument," Hanks said.  "Under her leadership Point Arena became the first California city to sign a gateway agreement." After ten years as the Mayor of Point Arena, she is stepping down. The Mayor has been a key participant in the gateway’s monthly meetings. Her active participation and direct link with the local community was important in establishing a stable and viable CCNM Gateway for the Point Arena area. As a gateway community, Point Arena cooperates with the BLM to provide information about the CCNM and the unique attributes of the gateway area. CCNM Gateways are sections of the California coast that serve as focal points and visitor contact locations for the CCNM and serve to link the CCNM with local communities and initiatives. Each CCNM Gateway is also the vehicle to establish a local “flavor” for a specific portion of the CCNM and provide local stewardship through the development of a local consortium of CCNM partners. The Resource Management Plan for the CCNM identifies a dozen gateway locations on the California Coast. They are in various stages of formation. The Point Arena committee has just completed its first brochure and has a CCNM informational kiosk in place on the shopping boardwalk next to the municipal pier at Area Cove and at the Point Arena Lighthouse.
 
BLM California’s NLCS Coordinator Also Presented with CCNM Rock Star Award before Retiring.  Paul Brink has been the backbone of BLM California’s National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) program since the NLCS was established in June of 2000. As the BLM California Wilderness Program Lead when the California Coastal National Monument was established in January of 2000, Paul took on the added responsibility for the CCNM until the BLM decide how they wanted to set up the management of this unexpected monument. With the creation of the NLCS less than six months later, Paul was assigned the responsibility for the entire NLCS program in California, the most complex in all of BLM. Juggling his role as California Lead Wilderness Specialist, California’s NLCS Program Lead, and CCNM coordinator, Paul managed to develop contracts for literature searches for CCNM seabirds and sea mammals with Mad River Biologists, archeological sites with the Office of the California State Historic Preservation Officer, paleontological sites with the University of California at Berkeley, and most importantly, the development of the CCNM Resource Management Plan with Jones & Stokes, an environmental planning firm in Sacramento. It should also be noted that Paul was involved with the drafting of the Presidential Proclamation and related support documents for the CCNM. When the decision was made to hire a CCNM Manager and the position was filled in late November 2001, Paul had set the stage for a very successful start for formalizing the foundation of the CCNM. Paul served as an active member the CCNM RMP Interdisciplinary Team, as well as handling the major budget responsibilities for the CCNM. For his role in the initial development of the CCNM and his continual support of the CCNM, Paul was presented with the CCNM Rock Star Award by Tom Pogacnik, BLM California Deputy State Director for Natural Resources, at a retirement luncheon in Sacramento, California, on December 11, 2008. Paul retires on January 5, 2009, after 34 years of government service. Paul becomes the third recipient of the CCNM Rock Star Award and the first BLM employee to receive it.
 
CCNM Related Meetings, Conference Calls & Events.  In addition to the various meetings, activities, and actions discussed above, the CCNM Manager, other CCNM staff, and BLM California coastal field offices (FOs) staff also participated in a variety of meetings, conference calls, and events, including the following:
 
  • Presentation to California Ocean Protection Council re: California Coast Geotourism Initiative update (Rick Hanks), Half Moon Bay, CA, September 10, 2008
  • Meeting of California Ocean Protection Council (Marcia deChadenedes), Half Moon Bay, CA, September 10 & 11, 2008
  • NLCS monthly conference call for California & Nevada (Rick Hanks & Bob Wick), September 15, 2008 
  • Conference call with Simon Jones of Solimar International re: California North Coast Geotourism Project Workshop for BLM (Hanks & Angela West), May September 16, 2008 
  • Meeting with Dennis Long, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation (MBSF), re: assistance agreement with NMSF related to the California Coast Geotourism Initiative (Hanks & DeChadenedes), Monterey, CA, September 16, 2008 
  • Conference call with Tony Smithers, Executive Director, Humboldt County Convention & Visitors Bureau, re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks & deChadenedes), September 16, 2008 
  • Annual California Seabirds Monitoring & Management Coordination Meeting (Jim Weigand), Davis, CA, September 17, 2008 
  • NOAA California Ocean Uses Atlas Project-Southern California Workshop (Greg Thomsen), Costa Mesa, CA, September 17, 2008 
  • California Coastal Clean-Up Day at Asilomar State Beach partnering with California State Parks, Surfriders Foundation & REI Outfitters & working with 184 volunteers (Tammy Jakl, who served as Beach Captain), Pacific Grove, CA, September 20, 2008 
  • California North Coast Geotourism Project Workshop for BLM & coordinated by Solimar International (Hanks, deChadenedes, Wick, Rich Burns, Gary Pritchard-Peterson, Jeff Fontana, Jonna Hildenbrand, Erin Simmons, & Chris Lloyd), Ukiah, CA, September 22-24, 2008 
  • San Clemente Island tour to discuss U.S. Navy's stewardship of the island & offshore CCNM rocks with Navy guides Andy Yatsko (Cultural Resources Program Manager) & Jose Casora (Navy point of contact for CCNM)(Steve Borchard, John Kalish, Jack Hamby, Steve Razo, David Briery, Joyce Schlachter, & Thomsen), San Clemente Island, CA, October 1, 2008 
  • Trinidad Civic Club presentation re: CCNM natural history (Wick), Trinidad, CA, October 2, 2008 
  • Dedication of San Clemente segment of the California Coastal Trail (Thomsen), San Clemente, CA, October 3, 2008 
  • Meeting with James Bryant, Curator of Natural History, Riverside Metropolitan Museum, re: Southern California Geotourism Project (Hanks & deChadenedes), Riverside, CA, October 7, 2008 
  • Presentation to California Rural Tourism Advisory Council re: California Coast Geotourism Initiative (Hanks & deChadenedes), Coronado, CA, October 8, 2008 
  • Annual Meeting of Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) (Thomsen), San Pedro, CA, October 10, 2008 
  • Meeting with Rich Weideman, Chief, Office of Public Affairs & Special Events, Golden Gate National Parks, re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks & deChadenedes), San Francisco, CA, October 15, 2008 
  • Meeting with Mendocino County Promotional Alliance (with representatives of North Coast Tourism Council on conference call) re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks, deChadenedes, Burns & Wick), Ukiah, CA, October 16, 2008 
  • Conference call re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks, deChadenedes, Burns, Wick, Fontana & Lynda Roush), October 20, 2008 
  • Conference call with Jim Dion, Deputy Director, National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks, deChadenedes, Fontana & West), October 21, 2008 
  • The Sea Ranch CCNM Task Force Annual Luncheon (Weigand), Sea Ranch, CA, October 22, 2008 
  • Seabird Protection Network meeting (sponsored by Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary) (Hanks, deChadenedes & Weigand), San Francisco, CA, October 23, 2008 
  • Meeting with Andrea Lewis, Assistant Secretary, Program Effectiveness Initiatives, California Environmental Protection Agency, re: K-12 environmental education curriculum for California schools (Hanks & deChadenedes), Monterey, CA, October 24, 2008 
  • CCNM Trinidad Gateway meeting (Hanks, L. Roush, Wick, deChadenedes & Kathy Stangl), Trinidad, CA, October 28, 2008 
  • CCNM Crescent City Gateway planning meeting (Hanks, L. Roush & deChadenedes), Crescent City, CA, October 29, 2008 
  • Meeting with Rick Nolan, Redwood National & State Parks Interpretation & Outreach Chief, re: California North Coast Geotourism Project & North Coast Tourism Council (Hanks & DeChadenedes), Crescent City, CA, October 29, 2008 
  • CCNM Point Arena Gateway meeting (Hanks, deChadenedes & Fontana), Point Arena, CA, October 30, 2008 
  • Conference call re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks, deChadenedes, L. Roush, Wick & Fontana), October 20, 2008 
  • Attended Train the Trainers Workshop for the Marine Life Protected Areas (deChadenedes), Monterey, CA, November 1 & 2, 2008 
  • Attended North Coast Agri-Tourism Workshop (deChadenedes), Ukiah, CA, November 12, 2008 
  • Conference call re: California North Coast Geotourism Project (Hanks, deChadenedes, L. Roush, Wick & Fontana), November 14, 2008 
  • Presentation to City Council of Crescent City re: North Coast Geotourism Project (Bob Wick), Crescent City, CA, November 17, 2008 
  • Meeting with Mark Essman, Marin County Tourism Association, re: North Coast Geotourism Project (deChadenedes), San Rafael, CA, November 17, 2008 
  • Presentation to Humboldt County Board of Supervisors re: North Coast Geotourism Project (Lynda Roush & Stangl), Eureka, CA, November 17, 2008 
  • Presentation to Mendocino Board of Supervisors re: North Coast Geotourism Project (Burns & deChadenedes), Ukiah, CA, November 18, 2008 
  • Meeting with Ukiah Chamber of Commerce re: North Coast Geotourism Project (deChadenedes), Ukiah, CA, November 18, 2008
  • Conference call re: planning for North Coast Geotourism Committee meeting/conference call (Hanks, L. Roush, Burns, deChadenedes, Wick & Fontana), November 19, 2008
  • Presentation to Ukiah City Council re: North Coast Geotourism Project (deChadenedes), Ukiah, CA, November 19, 2008
  • Presentation to BLM California Northwest Resource Advisory Council re: North Coast Geotourism Project & CCNM update (Hanks, L. Roush & Burns), Woodland, CA, November 21, 2008 
  • NLCS monthly conference call for California & Nevada (Hanks), December 1, 2008 
  • North Coast Geotourism Committee meetings/conference call with “pods” in Ukiah (deChadenedes), Arcata (L. Roush & Stangl), Crescent City (Wick), & Whitethorn (Pritchard-Peterson), & others calling-in (Hanks & Fontana), December 2, 2008 
  • Meeting with Fort Bragg Promotional Committee re: North Coast Geotourism Project (deChadenedes), Fort Bragg, CA, December 2, 2008 
  • Conference call re: North Coast Geotourism Committee meeting/conference call follow-up tasks (Hanks, deChadenedes, Wick & Fontana), December 3, 2008 
  • Conference call re: North Coast Geotourism Project funding status (Hanks, L. Rush, deChadenedes, Wick & Fontana), December 8, 2008 
  • Meeting with Drew Bohan, California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) Executive Policy Officer, re: North Coast Geotourism Project & geotourism MapGuide themes & funding (Hanks, deChadenedes & Wick), Sacramento, CA, December 11, 2008 
  • Conference call re: North Coast Geotourism Project & OPC (Hanks, A. West, L. Roush, deChadenedes, Wick & Fontana), December 12, 2008 
  • Meeting with Dennis Long, MBSF Executive Director, re: status of the California Coast Geotourism Initiative (Hanks & DeChadenedes), Monterey, CA, December 12, 2008 
  • Conference call with Ed Almanza, Laguna Ocean Foundation re: Southern California MLPA project & other Orange County coastal issues (Hanks, Thomsen & deChadenedes), December 12, 2008 
  • Conference call with BLM California State Director Mike Pool re: status of California Coastal Geotourism Initiative & North Coast Geotourism Project update (Hanks, Tom Pogacnik, L. Roush, Burns, deChadenedes, Wick & Fontana), December 15, 2008 
  • Outreach Booth at Monterey Bay Aquarium "Community Day" (Jakl & deChadenedes), Monterey, CA, December 14, 2008 

Contact Information.  

Any questions, comments, or requests for additional information? Contact Rick Hanks, CCNM Manager, at 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940, or telephone (831) 372-6105 or 372-6115, or e-mail at hhanks@ca.blm.gov or ccnm@ca.blm.gov. 

 Previous Updates:   Click here for archive of CCNM Manager's Updates 

 

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Last updated: 01-05-2009